TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Dates for eight of Florida State’s 12 regular-season games in 2012 were unknown prior to Monday afternoon. They aren’t anymore.

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced the schedules for its 12 member teams and FSU’s slate of games features a lot of appearances in the state of Florida, a good spacing of the ‘Noles’ toughest games and a marquee conference matchup in early November that could be a preview for the league championship less than a month later.

HOME, SWEET HOME

As was previously known, FSU will open the 2012 campaign with home games against Murray State and Savannah State — the latter a replacement for West Virginia — and an end-of-month trek to Tampa to play at South Florida.

But as announced Monday, the ‘Noles will host two more home games in the month of September; a game on the 15th against Wake Forest and then a week later against defending ACC champion Clemson.

FSU lost to the Demon Deacons and the Tigers last year in back-to-back games that were certainly affected by the Seminoles’ injury woes following a losing battle against then-No. 1 Oklahoma.

FSU also lost to USF in 2009 when the Bulls came to Tallahassee so enacting a little payback — at least from a fan’s perspective — will be a theme for three of Florida State’s first five games.

They’ve had games in August before but this will be the first time in program history that the Seminoles will play five games in the month of September in one season. It’s also the first time that FSU will open a new year with five games in the state of Florida since 2008 when it played a neutral-site game in Jacksonville against Colorado before playing at Miami.

Five games in its home state is good for FSU fans and that theme continues the rest of the year.

The Seminoles don’t leave the Sunshine State until Oct. 6 when they play at NC State, which is just one of three regular-season games all year across state lines. FSU’s month of November features road games at Virginia Tech and Maryland before the team goes for its third win in a row against rival Florida when the Gators come to Doak Campbell Stadium Nov. 24.

SPREADING THEM OUT

Not only will Florida State get to stay in state for most of the season, it’s three most difficult-on-paper conference matchups all take place in different months.

Even though Wake Forest has been a thorn in FSU’s side in recent seasons, its first truly big game of the year is the one against Clemson on Sept. 22. The ‘Noles will then spend three weeks playing USF, NC State and Boston College — all winnable games — before playing at Miami a month later on Oct. 20.

FSU will only have two weeks in between what will be a hyped-up Thursday night game at defending ACC Coastal Division champion Virginia Tech on Nov. 8.

Florida State benefits tremendously, however, from the fact that in between its games against the Hurricanes and Hokies is a home match against Duke and a well-placed bye the weekend before what would typically be a short week of preparations for a Thursday contest.

Helping even further, FSU will have the weekend after the Virginia Tech to heal and practice before consecutive weeks against Maryland and Florida.

SCHEDULING NOTE FOR HOTELS

The Oct. 13 game against Boston College is Parent’s Weekend and it will fall on the same day as Florida A&M’s Homecoming so reserving a Tallahassee hotel room sooner rather than later will be important for ‘Noles fans.

Coincidentally, the Rattlers’ game that weekend is against Savannah State.

The Oct. 27 game against Duke is during FSU’s Homecoming weekend.

For all season and single-game ticket purchases, visit FSU’s Online Ticket Office or call 1-888-FSU-NOLE. Kick-off times for each game will be announced during the season.